Abstract
Confocal scanning light microscopy, a new type of microscopy, has generated considerable excitement. It gives higher resolution and thinner noninvasive optical sections, or planar views, than those obtained by classical bright-field or dark-field microscopy, and increased contrast is another major advantage. Fluorescence microscopy(1) is also greatly improved by using confocal scanning light microscopy, since three-dimensional views can be generated, which lend themselves well to digital image processing and possibly holography. In an image-processing system, a hundred or more very thin optical sections can be stored and combined into a composite, three-dimensional image. Then a display of the total three-dimensional view, or selected parts, can be generated. The composite three-dimensional views can resemble those from scanning electron microscopy, but the specimen does not have to be in a vacuum, as with normal scanning electron microscopy. Currently the technique is used only for reflected light, bright-field and fluorescent microscopies, but additional techniques are under development. Transmission and polarized light microscopes should be available in the future. The confocal microscopical concept was patented in 1957, but the technique has only recently become more common. Delay in its development is probably due to the only recent common application of lasers and scanning techniques. Currently there are some complications with all varieties of these instruments, and efforts are continuing to decrease these.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
J. B. Pawley, ed., Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy ( New York: Plenum, 1990 ).
A. Boyde, “Confocal Optical Microscopy,” in P. J. Duke and A. G. Michette, Modern Microscopies, Techniques and Applications (New York: Plenum, 1990), 185–203. 2a. Leica, Inc., 24 Link Drive, Rockleigh, NJ 07647.
T. Wilson, ed., Confocal Microscopy ( New York: Academic Press, 1990 ).
R. Keeler, “Confocal Microscopy,” R and D Magazine ( Apr. 1991, 40–42.
D. Shotton, “The Current Renaissance in Light Microscopy II. Blur-Free Optical Sectioning of Biological Specimens by Confocal Scanning Fluorescence Microscopy,” Royal Microscopical Society, Proceedings 23 /5 (1988).
M. Richardson, “Confocal Microscopy and 3-D Visualization,” American Laboratory (Nov. 1990), 19–24.
D. H. Szarowski et al,“Optimized Reflection Imaging in Laser Confocal Microscopy and Its Application to Neurobiology: Modifications to the Biorad MRC-500,” Scanning 14 (1992), 104–11.
A. M. Hall et al,“Confocal Microscopy-The Basics Explained,” Royal Microscopical Society, Proceedings 26/2 (1991), 63–68.
R. H. Webb, “Confocal Microscopes,” Optics and Photonics News (July, 1991 ), 8–13.
J. B. Pawley, “Fundamental and Practical Limits in Confocal Microscopy,” Scanning 13 (1991), 184–98.
S. Inoue, “Foundations in Confocal Scanned Imaging in Light Microscopy,” in J. B. Pawley, ed. Handbook of Biological Confocal Microscopy ( New York: Plenum, 1990 ).
Tracor Northern, Inc., 2551 W. Beltline Hwy, Middleton, WI 53562–2697.
Cover of Science,June 4, 1993, instrumentation issue, by R. W. Wagner et al,using fluorescence confocal microscopy, Gilead Sciences, Inc., 353 Lakeside Dr., Foster City, CA 94404. “Antisense Gene Inhibition by Oligonucleotides Containing C-5 Propyne Pyrimidines,” Science 260 (1993), 1510–13.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1994 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Rochow, T.G., Tucker, P.A. (1994). Confocal Scanning Light Microscopy. In: Introduction to Microscopy by Means of Light, Electrons, X Rays, or Acoustics. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1513-9_8
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1513-9_8
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-1515-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-1513-9
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive